Hyundai Eyes Podium At Tight And Twisty Rally Japan
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Hyundai Motorsport rolls into Rally Japan on May 28-31 riding the high of its first win of the season in Portugal. The WRC shifts back to tarmac and to the narrow, stop-start mountain roads around Toyota City, promising drama, precision and the sort of corners that make ambition wobble.
The itinerary is mercilessly neat: 20 stages, 302.82 kilometres of competitive tarmac across Aichi and Gifu prefectures. Expect relentlessly tight sections, medium-speed sweepers and roads hemmed in by barriers, sheer drops and forest that leave no room for theatrics. This is rallying at its most technical, not its flashiest.
Tarmac, But Not What You Expect
The sporting director calls last weekend in Portugal a tonic for the team and a welcome reminder the car has pace. On paper tarmac is not the squad’s favourite surface, yet the short corners and medium-speed character of these stages should play into their hands. The change to a May date matters too: late spring should mean cleaner roads and more predictable temperatures, but the monsoon door is ajar and a downpour can turn immaculate asphalt into treacherous soup in minutes. That makes tyre choices and quick thinking just as important as outright speed.
The Target
Realistically, a strong weekend is about splitting the top manufacturer and fighting for a podium. There are plenty of rivals with the speed and experience to win here, so the brief is simple: be fast, be consistent and be reliable through to Sunday afternoon when the points are doled out.
From The Cockpit
The drivers admit May will change the feel of the event. With fewer leaves on the road and more daylight, stages should be cleaner but no less committing. One crew member noted that recce here is gruelling because many corners look the same on paper, so getting your notes right is half the battle. Another welcomed the recent win but warned the hunt for tarmac performance continues. A third driver, with only gravel experience from a past visit, says hours of onboard study and a recent test have paid off and boosted confidence ahead of the stages.
So expect a tactical tussle rather than a flat-out circus: short, sharp stages where mistakes are punished and precision is rewarded. Hyundai will take its Portuguese momentum to Japan hoping it is more than a lucky day out; the roads will decide which story survives the weekend.
Zachary Skinner is the editor of TechDrivePlay.com, where tech, cars and adventure share the fast lane.
A former snowboarding pro and programmer, he brings both creative flair and technical know-how to his reviews. From high-performance cars to clever gadgets, he explores how innovation shapes the way we move, connect and live.
